Society functions because it operates according to its own internal rules, mores, customs, taboos, and traditions, and to participate in society you generally must acquiesce to these norms often tacit. conduct and speech. One of the most harmless norms is the practice of polite speech. The function of polite speech is twofold; to avoid conflicts with the unknown and to ward off boredom. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayPolite speech acts as the universal language among strangers and acquaintances, and this universal polite lexicon sets standards for how we behave when dealing with the unknown. . When you meet someone new, you would probably say something like, "Hello, my name is ___," and then shake their hand. Failure to do so could offend them and lead to discord. So not only does polite speech prevent conflict, it is so deeply ingrained in everyone that avoiding it invites conflict. Human communication is an amalgamation of words and body language, and agreeing on a way to act in the most common scenarios avoids potential friction. For example, when we ask someone “How are you?” » or “What’s new?” and they are not referring to the death of your dog or your mother or anything like that, the polite answer is "fine" or "fine". Because we were taught to say “How are you?” ” and respond with “fine”, the words themselves do not mean what they actually mean; to the person who responds "fine" in a hypocritical manner, she avoids the awkward and somewhat taboo act of unloading emotionally on someone who doesn't have the time or interest to invest in your response. In a sense, polite speech is about sticking to a vague script to navigate life with as little conflict as possible. Polite speech is also a tool to eliminate silence and boredom. When you're stuck in a boring situation with one or more other people, polite "small talk" is a great way to break the silence. There's even a term for this: icebreakers, which are phrases and questions that break the "ice" of awkward silence because they are designed to elicit a response from the other person. People are generally uncomfortable with silence, and so we use polite speech to distract ourselves by asking simple, polite, boring questions (What is your job? How are you? We have time, n 'isn't it?) not because we're interested in their responses, but because it greases the wheels of social interaction. People love to talk about themselves and these pointed questions are designed specifically for that purpose. Humans are social animals by nature, and talking and interacting with other people makes us feel good, and small talk gives us something to talk about. Ultimately, the act of polite speech is much more about the act itself than the speech. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Company Functions because there is usually agreement on standards of conduct and increasingly severe penalties for increasingly serious violations of these standards of conduct. Polite speech is a means by which humans can interact civilly and detached in a somewhat meaningful way. However, this meaning does not arise from the content and intention of the speech, but from the fact that we speak politely to each other..